Ambitious Portuguese Businessman, Marco Galinha, Striving for Supremacy in His Field
At a Lisbon lunch, the enigmatic entrepreneur, Marco Galinha, shared his captivating story and revealed insights into the mind of a man who's single-handedly built the phenomenon that is Grupo Bel. This powerhouse conglomerate boasts scores of companies across various sectors and employs a staggering 3,500 people.
As a young man of 18, Marco dreamt of becoming the best in the world at All Terrain Biking (ATB). In search of that ambition, he pondered, "How can I achieve it?" and sought answers from the world's champions in the sport. Studying their habits and careers, he discovered that whether in sports or business, many commonalities could be observed.
A fateful meeting with champion cyclist, Jérome Chiotti, in the Algarve opened Marco's eyes. He felt a profound emptiness, realizing the key to success wasn't brute strength, but intellect and determination – a crucial lesson he carried into his future endeavors.
However, a difficult year ahead derailed his plans, as he lost his father and had to support himself through his education amidst Portugal's banking crisis and recession. Starting off in computing, he managed to win a few clients despite the bleak circumstances.
Marco explains that these crises repeat throughout life, like the Covid-19 pandemic. But being Portuguese, understanding Portugal's history (he proudly displays a huge silver caravel in his office), he felt a sense of ambition and responsibility.
"We shouldn't always be talking about our past," he mused, "but as a people, we have a huge responsibility in the world." The Portuguese passport, he believes, is one of the most important in the world.
Building a group like Grupo Bel was a Herculean task, says Marco, made possible only by ignoring the negative voices. "Today, we do unique things because this is the blood that's in our veins," he said, referring to the success Grupo Bel has achieved across multiple sectors. Yet, he still regards Grupo Bel "at the initial phases with a long way to go."
Marco compares managing multiple companies to having a large family, and his sister, with five children and a role in a borough council's social department, serves as an example. It's all about discipline, organization, passion, dedication, and learning how to delegate tasks, he explains.
Marco shares a deep appreciation forjournalism and journalists, insisting on their independence. He views media as the cornerstone of democracy and holds Portugal in high regard for its strong journalistic scene. "I believe in the power of the media," he affirms, "and we have always fought for its independence."
Marco's first foray into media came when he purchased the business daily Jornal Económico, which was practically bankrupt at the time. He also attempted to acquire the Portuguese media and TV group Media Capital but ultimately lost out to another prominent Portuguese entrepreneur, Mário Ferreira.
Marco views Global Media, his largest sacrifice to date, as an "aircraft carrier" in need of rescue – a stormy journey he undertook fearlessly. He eventually took control of Diário de Notícias, a newspaper in a precarious state, and revitalized it.
Apart from his business activities, Marco remains a devoted ATB enthusiast. He won the title of National Champion of ATB in 1995. Born as the seventh of eight children in Rio Maior, Marco admits to being very shy as a child but describes himself as a youth with an insatiable hunger to win. He acknowledges the challenges this created at home, adding that children who are seen as "outside the mold" by society may be displaying signs of intelligence and drive.
Marco further believes that today's education system does not adequately prepare children for success but fosters failure instead. He encourages parents to be patient with their children and recognize that striving for greatness requires continuous effort and dedication.
- In the Algarve, Marco Galinha's life took an unexpected turn when he met champion cyclist Jérome Chiotti, a moment that underscored the importance of intellect and determination in achieving success.
- Despite Portugal's banking crisis and recession, Marco Galinha demonstrated resilience, winning a few clients in the computing sector, a stepping stone towards his future business endeavors.
- As the founder of Grupo Bel, Marco Galinha is not satisfied with his achievements, viewing the conglomerate as still being in its initial phases with a long way to go.
- Marco Galinha, an entrepreneur with a deep appreciation for journalism, views Portugal's strong journalistic scene as a cornerstone of democracy and has made media acquisitions a part of his business ventures.
